A breakpoint analysis procedure based on temporal decomposition

Temporal decomposition (TD), which is an analysis procedure based on a linear model of the effects of coarticulation, yields a linear approximation of a time sequence of speech parameters in terms of a series of time-overlapping interpolation functions and an associated series of data vectors. The number and positions of these interpolation functions show a high correspondence with phonetic events present in the speech signal. A new and more robust interpolation scheme for TD that gives it a geometric interpretation as a breakpoint analysis procedure in a multidimensional parameter space is described, where breakpoints are connected by straight line segments. The interpolation scheme can be viewed as a generalization of segmentation, allowing for a gradual transition from one segment towards the next.